Piranhea trifoliata Baill.

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett. 1967. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part VII. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 17: 1-439.

  • Family

    Euphorbiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Piranhea trifoliata Baill.

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - This tree, of beautiful growth attaining heights up to 25 m, is limited in its occurrence to low altitudes found in two isolated areas: the central portion of the Amazon valley and the Upper Orinoco tributaries between the northeastern foothills of the Guayana Highland. I have not seen any definitely identifiable specimens from the Guianas, although it has been reported from British Guiana by Parker s.n. (Pax and Hoffmann, Pflanzenreich 81: 295. 1922).BRAZIL. Amazonas: Manaos, 14 Jan 1933, Ducke 147a NY) ; Parintins, silva periodice inundabili ad lacum Macarany, 4 Jan 1936, Ducke 119 (fr. NY); Parintins, 4 km do cidade, campo arenoso, cresce a beira d’ agua, 19 Nov 1946, Pires 24 (fr. NY) ; near Tres Casas, municipality Humayta, on varzea land, 14 Sep-11 Oct 1934, Krukofi 6163 (juv. fr. NY); Parana do Careiro (ad ostium fluvii Solimos), silva varzea inundabili, 25 Oct 1946, Ducke 2022 (fr. NY) BRAZIL. Para: margen esquerda do Rio Sao Manoel, Igarape Fernando de Moronha, abaixo de Cachoeira do Caldeirao, 7 Jan 1952, Pires 3845 (juv. fr. NY); near Boca do Paru, on varzea land, 28-29 Aug 1934, Krukoff 5924 (fr* NY). VENEZUELA. Bolivar: savanna and rock outcrops 1-3 km E of Rio Orinoco between mouth of Rio Horedo and Cerro Gavilan (Cerro Carichama), alt 100 m, 16 Dec 1956, Wurdack & Monachino 39905 (fr. NY); Amazonas: Cerro Yapacana, savanna 3, alt 130 m, 1 Jan 1951, Maguire, Cowan & Wurdack 30595 (sterile NY); Cano Asisa, below rapids to junction with Rio Paru, thence down Rio Paru to mouth, alt 150 m, IS Feb 1951, Cowan & Wurdack 31555 (fr. NY).

  • Discussion

    Type. “Crescit in Prov. Rio Negro, Brasiliae borealis ubi prope Barra floren-tem angusta 1951 detexit cl R. Spruce (exs. n. 1605) ibique vulgo audit Piranhea— uba (nomen unde generi impossitum).” Type not seen.

  • Distribution

    This tree, of beautiful growth attaining heights up to 25 m, is limited in its occurrence to low altitudes found in two isolated areas: the central portion of the Amazon valley and the Upper Orinoco tributaries between the northeastern foothills of the Guayana Highland. I have not seen any definitely identifiable specimens from the Guianas, although it has been reported from British Guiana by Parker s.n. (Pax and Hoffmann, Pflanzenreich 81: 295. 1922).

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